Page:Sermons by John-Baptist Massillon.djvu/193

 in question  demands,  I  ask  you,  secondly,  do  the  elevation  and abundance in  which  you  are  born  dispense  you  from  simplicity, frugality, modesty,  and  holy  restraint? By being  born  great,  you are not  the  less  Christians. In vain,  like  those  Israelites  in  the desert, have  you  amassed  more  manna  than  your  brethren;  you cannot preserve  for  your  use  more  than  the  measure  prescribed  by the  law*  Were  it  not  so,  our  Saviour  would  have  forbidden  pomp, luxury, and  worldly  pleasures  but  to  the  poor  and  unfortunate, those to  whom  the  misery  of  their  condition  renders  needless  that defence.

Now, this  grand  truth  admitted,  if,  according  to  the  rule  of  faith, it be  not  permitted  to  you  to  employ  your  riches  in  the  gratification of  your  appetites;  if  the  rich  be  obliged  to  bear  the  cross,  continually to  renounce  themselves,  and  to  look  for  no  consolation  in this  world,  equally  as  the  poor;  what  can  the  design  of  Providence have been  in  pouring  upon  you  all  the  riches  of  the  earth,  and wrhat advantage  could  even  accrue  to  you  from  them? Could it  be in  order  to  administer  to  your  irregular  desires? But you  are  no longer  bound  to  the  flesh,  to  live  according  to  the  flesh. Could it be  in  order  to  support  the  pride  of  rank  and  birth? But whatever you give  to  vanity,  you  cut  off  from  charity. Could it  be  for  the purpose of  hoarding  up  for  your  posterity? But your  treasure should be  only  in  heaven. Could it  be  in  order  that  you  might pass your  life  more  agreeably? But if  you  weep  not,  if  you  suffer not, if  you  combat  not,  you  are  lost. Could it  be  in  order  to  attach you  more  strongly  to  the  world? But the  Christian  is  not  of this  world;  he  is  citizen  of  the  age  to  come. Could it  be  for  the purpose of  aggrandizing  your  possessions  and  your  inheritances? But you  would  never  aggrandize  but  the  place  of  your  exile;  and the gain  of  the  whole  world  would  be  vain,  if  you  thereby  lost  your soul. Could it  be  that  your  table  might  be  loaded  with  the  most exquisite dishes? But you  well  know,  that  the  gospel  forbids  a life  of  sensuality  and  voluptuousness,  equally  to  the  rich  as  to  the indigent. Review all  the  advantages,  which,  according  to  the world, you  can  reap  from  your  prosperity,  and  you  will  find  almost the whole  of  them  forbidden  by  the  law  of  God.

It has  not,  therefore,  been  his  design,  that  they  should  be  merely for your  own  purposes,  when  he  multiplied  in  your  hands  the riches of  the  earth. It is  not  for  yourself  that  you  are  born  to grandeur;  it  is  not  for  yourself,  as  Mordecai  formerly  said  to  the pious Esther,  that  the  Lord  hath  exalted  you  to  this  point  of  prosperity and  grandeur;  it  is  for  the  sake  of  his  afflicted  people;  it  is to  be  the  protector  of  the  unfortunate. If you  fulfil  not  the  intentions of  God,  with  regard  to  you,  continued  that  wise  Israelite,  he will  employ  some  other,  who  shall  more  faithfully  serve  him;  he will  transfer  to  them  that  crown  which  was  intended  for  you;  he will  elsewhere  provide  the  enlargement  and  deliverance  of  his  afflicted people;  for  he  will  not  permit  them  to  perish;  but  you,  and your father's  house  shall  perish. In the  designs  of  the  Almighty, you therefore  are  but  the  ministers  of  his  providence  toward  those